• Job Says His Friends’ Proverbs Are Ashes

  • 1 “Behold, my eye has seen all this, My ear has heard and understood it.
  • 2 “What you know I also know; I am not inferior to you.
  • 3 “But I would speak to the Almighty, And I desire to argue with God.
  • 4 “But you smear me with lies; You are all worthless physicians.
  • 5 “Oh that you would be completely silent, And that it would become your wisdom!
  • 6 “Please hear my argument, And give your attention to the contentions of my lips.
  • 7 “Will you speak what is unjust for God, And speak what is deceitful for Him?
  • 8 “Will you show partiality for Him? Will you contend for God?
  • 9 “Will it go well when He examines you? Or will you deceive Him as one deceives a man?
  • 10 “He will certainly punish you If you secretly show partiality.
  • 11 “Will His majesty not terrify you, And the dread of Him fall upon you?
  • 12 “Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes, Your defenses are defenses of clay.

  • Job Is Sure He Will Be Vindicated

  • 13 “Be silent before me so that I may speak; Then let come upon me what may.
  • 14 “Why should I take my flesh in my teeth, And put my life in my hands?
  • 15 “Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him.
  • 16 “This also will be my salvation, For a godless person cannot come before His presence.
  • 17 “Listen carefully to my speech, And let my declaration fill your ears.
  • 18 “Behold now, I have prepared my case; I know that I will be vindicated.
  • 19 “Who could contend with me? For then I would be silent and die.
  • 20 “Only two things I ask that You do not do to me, Then I will not hide from Your face:
  • 21 Remove Your hand from me, And may the dread of You not terrify me.
  • 22 “Then call and I will answer; Or let me speak, then reply to me.
  • 23 “How many are my guilty deeds and sins? Make known to me my wrongdoing and my sin.
  • 24 “Why do You hide Your face And consider me Your enemy?
  • 25 “Will You scare away a scattered leaf? Or will You pursue the dry chaff?
  • 26 “For You write bitter things against me And make me inherit the guilty deeds of my youth.
  • 27 “You put my feet in the stocks And watch all my paths; You set a limit for the soles of my feet,
  • 28 While I am decaying like a rotten thing, Like a garment that is moth-eaten.